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Allan Ross
Allan "The Weasel" Ross (born 1940s) is a Canadian mobster and former leader of the Irish mob known as the West End Gang. Biography Ross allegedly started his criminal career as a $200-a-week numbers runner in the 1960s. He eventually rose to become the right-hand man of Frank "Dunie" Ryan the founding boss of the West End Gang. When Ryan was murdered in 1984, Ross quickly filled the void and took over his crime network. But as the loyal subordinate that Ross was, his first order of business was to avenge Ryan's death. Thirteen days after Ryan's death, his alleged murderers Paul April and Robert Lelievre, along with two of their associates, were blown up in an apartment building. The blast tore their bodies to bits and injured eight others. Ross allegedly hired Hells Angels Yves "Apache" Trudeau and Michel Blass to carry out the hit, promising to pay the duo $200,000. He later reneged on the deal, paying the hitmen only $25,000 and telling them to collect the balance from other Hells Angels, who owed Ryan hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug debts. Ross would forever remain loyal to his friend Ryan. A couple of years later, he approached a Montreal Gazette columnist in bar to pass along a message to two of the journalist's friends who were prying into Ryan's life: "Why do you guys at The Gazette brother Dunie's kids?" Ross was quoted as asking. "Say anything you want about us, but leave the kids out of it. Ryan's dead, Why not leave him alone? What's the point? Why not attack us guys who are still around?". Drug kingpin After Ryan's death, Ross worked hard to secure contacts in the U.S., South America, and Europe and was allegedly introduced to top bosses of Colombian drug cartels. Ross would become one of Canada's most recognized and influential gangland leaders. Authorities have labelled Ross as being the fifth biggest cocaine traffickers in North America. Ross held a meeting with the drug kingpins in Aruba and agreements were reached. Drugs were soon flowing through the U.S. and up into Canada. The West End Gang distributed drugs to other gangs on the west coast and east coast. Whenever associates were arrested, Ross would pay their legal bills, according to authorities. The West End Gang also began sending large cocaine shipments to Europe, where some of the drugs were distributed by members of the Sicilian Mafia. On one occasion, 600 kilograms was sent to Spain. Ross supposedly benefited from information provided by well placed sources in law enforcement, who allegedly leaked confidential information about Montreal drug investigations to Ross. One law enforcement agent would come under investigation for his alleged actions and commit suicide. Murder of Edward Phillips and David Singer In March 1985, another West End Gang member suspected of playing a role in Frank "Dunie" Ryan's death was murdered. Edward Phillips was shot in the back and the head as he was about to get into his car. He was allegedly killed by David Singer, another reputed member of the West End Gang. Singer decided to lay low down in Florida after the killing. Ross soon began to doubt whether Singer could stand up to police pressure and decided to have him killed. Reputed West End Gang members Allan Strong and Raymond Desfossés were sent down to Florida to do just that, authorities claim. David Singer was supposedly lured into a car, where he was shot several times in the head. The body was then dumped on a street in Dania. As Strong and Desfossés then allegedly made their escape, they went through a red light, attracting the attention of a Florida Highway Patrol officer. As the cop approached their car, one of the men stuck a firearm out of the window and shot him in the leg. Police discovered David Singer's body shortly thereafter. On him, police found the telephone number of Allan Ross's wife. Downfall and life imprisonment In 1990, John Quitoni, a former New Jersey detective and Ross associate, was convicted of smuggling marijuana and decided to tell all to the authorities. Quitoni claimed Strong and Desfossés had met with him after the murder of David Singer and admitted to carrying out the hit. Ross was arrested in October 1991, at his Fort Lauderdale condominium. Police claim that Ross tried to buy his freedom by offering an agent $200,000. The underworld chieftain was charged with leading a continuing criminal enterprise responsible for importing at least 10,000 kilos of cocaine and 2,000 tonnes of hashish between 1975 and 1989. The arrest came just months after Sidney Leithman, Ross's lawyer and close friend, was gunned down as he drove to his office one day. He was shot at least six times in the head and neck in what was described as a professional hit. Leithman was a well known criminal lawyer and defended some of Montreal's top organized crime figures. It was later reported that Leithman had been an informant for Canadian authorities from as early as 1975. After a six week trail, Ross was found guilty of all charges, including narcotics and murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. Ross was also prosecuted for paying members of the Hell's Angels $13,000 to kill John Quitoni, the government's principal witness. He was acquitted of first-degree murder, thereby sparing him the electric chair. However, he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison and fined $250,000. The sentence was attached to the end of Ross's previous conviction. The West End Gang boss's lawyer was quoted as saying. "Ross says they can ship his body to Florida to start the last 30 years". Ross is serving his life sentence at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Pennsylvania. Category:Bosses Category:Irish Gangsters Category:West End Gang Category:Canadian Mobsters